


Peeling the onion

by starsurfer108



Category: Skip Beat!
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-23 22:58:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9685799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsurfer108/pseuds/starsurfer108
Summary: In an effort to deepen their relationship, Ren suggests something that Kyoko would find inappropriate... with anyone else.





	

Kyoko and Ren had been spending a lot of time together. She was starting to become nervous - instinctively she could tell that her iron boundaries regarding love were starting to break down. After Shou, she swore she'd never let anyone take advantage of her again. And the easiest way was to keep everyone at a distance; there was no way she'd be taken advantage of, to feel so worthless.

"Here," said Ren, handing her a mug of coffee and sitting next to her on the couch at his place.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Kyoko tensed. "This coffee is very strong," she said, trying to stop her hands from trembling. Oh why oh why did her insecurities have to surface now?

"But you haven't had any yet," Ren noted.

She sat there silently, miserable. This was a side that she rarely showed anyone - the antisocial side where she'd just withdraw into herself.

"Or were you expecting a different kind of coffee from me?" Ren added, chuckling.

She gasped, earning a grin from him. He looked happy that she got the reference.

"You know, if you had expected something different, I would have gone along with it," Ren said, taking a sip.

She turned red, then all but slammed her mug on his expensive table. For once, she didn't care about the mark left. "Don't treat me as something you can just toy around with!"

"I'm not," Ren said smoothly. "But surely there are some experiences that you'd want to have in your lifetime? I don't think you're actively dating at the moment."

Her mouth fell open. "How on earth am I supposed to find the time for that with my schedule?" She noticed that she was more direct, but the long days and the fact it was almost midnight eroded her filter. Ren didn't seem to mind.

"Oh, Kyoko," he admonished. "Yet another excuse. What are you worried about?"

A dark haze fell over her face. "I don't want a repeat of what happened in the past, with Shou."

"But aren't you worried that you'll not be able to please the person you do decide to treasure?" After a few moments, he added "Come, let me show you."

Kyoko gaped.

Ren took another sip. "I could even pay you," he said, smirking. "That way you'd be doing it for the money."

Normally Kyoko would have stormed out if it had been anyone else, but there was something deep inside her that wanted to get closer to Ren at all costs; something that showed her how deep her feelings were, as much as it scared her to admit it. And if she were to date Ren normally, she'd be panicking, worried that she'd fall too deep.

Ren leaned closer, putting his mug on the table. "So how much for a night?"

"A hundred yen!" Kyoko blurted out.

Ren laughed. "A real cup of coffee is more expensive! I'm sure we can do better."

He moved forward, with Kyoko scooting back, pressed against the arm of the couch.

"How much for a night of passion?"

Kyoko gulped. "Ten thousand yen."

Ren smirked. "That's more like it. And how much for any additional kink?"

"A thousand!" Kyoko stammered, coming to terms that this was happening. Then it dawned on her - as much as it she wanted to be closer to him, there'd always be a barrier between them. She looked down, sad.

Ren leaned even closer. "And how much to get you to actually care about me?"

She gasped, then leapt forward, hugging him and sobbing into his chest. He soothingly ran his hands along her back.

"Y-you could destroy me," she said in a muffled voice.

"Yes, but I wouldn't want to," he whispered. "And I'm afraid of being hurt, too."

She looked up at him, and realised that this was all an act to gently get past her barriers, and for her to come to terms with what she really wanted.

Without hesitation she drew him into a kiss.


End file.
